Unvented Roofs without Spray Foam: The Latest Building America Research

The current building codes let you build moisture-safe unvented roofs using spray foam or rigid board foam. But what about just using cellulose or fiberglass instead? Our team has been studying this issue over many climate zones for years. The current Building America/Department of Energy-sponsored research has a test hut here in Massachusetts, looking at a variety of assemblies, over the past two winters. Cellulose vs. fiberglass? Diffusion vents vs. no diffusion vents?

How To Prepare For High Performance Windows

Your windows are nice, but how’s your install? Windows are often big, heavy, fragile, and in high performance buildings, windows are the most expensive components. When you pay for all that performance, you also want to make sure windows are properly installed. It’s about your building enclosure: one wrong move and your exterior walls can also suffer expensive damage. Optimal window installs take into account vapor drive at different times of year, and take steps to super-insulate the window frames for the best thermal performance.

Lightning Round! Day 1: Lessons from The Field

New this year, Lightning Rounds pack as much information into one session as possible. You’ll hear succinct, to-the-point, and practical presentations on a variety of topics, including: Chilled Beam Advantages: Chilled Beam systems offer a unique opportunity to integrate the HVAC system into the architectural elements of a building while reducing energy costs, maintaining enhanced indoor air quality and promoting significant occupant comfort.

Evolving Assemblies

We know. You want to geek out about clever construction details and cutting edge construction methods, and in the process perhaps learn some strategies that you can bring back and apply to your own work. Well then, this is the session for you.

Getting Real About Renewables: Passive House and the Future of Energy

The growth of renewable energy is a hopeful and positive sign for society. It is not merely a fuel switch, however; it is a disruptive technology that is revolutionizing the fundamental economics of the grid itself. As fossil-fuel “storage” is supplanted by intermittent renewable energy, peak load is transitioning from demand-driven to supply-driven, and shifting the focus from “energy” to “power."

Three Vermont High-Performance Homes, Three Approaches

This session offers a thought-provoking comparison of the construction and performance of three high-performance homes completed in Vermont in 2015-2016: all two story, one with a basement, one traditional double stud, one double stud with air barrier behind the inner stud, one exterior I-joist wall. The projects’ architect and construction leaders will discuss design, ease of construction, cost and performance of the different systems, and reasons to choose one over the other.

Spending Through the Roof: Tall Building Energy Wasted Through Passive Vents

Recent research revealed that an estimated $11M in energy cost is wasted annually due to open vents at the tops of tall buildings. The vents are code-mandated but are left open, allowing tall buildings to become chimneys in winter. A NYSERDA study report published by Urban Green Council quantified the energy impact and recommended retrofits to halt the airflow escaping from elevator and stairwell shaft vents.

All About Windows

Windows are arguably the most important architectural element in a home, impacting the appearance, comfort, energy use, ventilation, and overall enjoyment of our homes in a number of ways – some not so obvious. This interactive session will explore important details concerning windows, including how they impact comfort, how they can be used to supplement a heating system and assist with ‘passive survivability’ when the power fails (with real data from four homes), and their impact on annual energy use.
Subscribe to Building envelope